Making team is a stroke of good puck

As he waits for the start of the game, Jacob Posner, 11, right, watches the end of another inline hockey game with his teammates. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

He will tell you his favorite part of the movie is when the 1980 U.S. men's ice hockey team wins the gold medal by beating Finland.

Aliso Viejo resident Jacob Posner is certain he's seen "Miracle" a thousand times. And it never gets old for him, watching the Winter Olympics' true story about a group of unlikely American hockey heroes who win the biggest game of their lives for their country.

Hockey has always been a part of Jacob's life. He laced up inline skates at age 4 and added ice hockey at age 7. The sixth-grader, who plays inline hockey for his Don Juan Avila Middle School Broncos, enjoys the puck handling, flow and space the inline game provides. But whether it's inline or ice, there is no doubt he loves the sport.

And so he didn't hesitate when given the opportunity to try out to represent Team USA this year in the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Inline Hockey Junior Olympics, July 11-21, locally at The Rinks – Huntington Beach Inline.

"My mom (Karen) told me about the tryouts," Jacob said, "and I really wanted to play for my country." The thought of wearing a jersey with the letters "USA" emblazoned across the front was foremost of his mind.

So he joined more than 30 hopefuls at The Rinks – Corona Inline in April for a two-day tryout. Leading up to those days, he spent time at the rink with his father, Marc, running drills to prepare.

Nervous but confident, Jacob figured that if he skated and played his best, he had a chance.

And when he spotted his name under the heading "Team USA West 10u Squad," he did what any other middle-schooler would do.

"I was so excited, I posted the news to Instagram right away."

Jacob and his teammates – Luke Faas, Andre Gasseau, Isaiah Martinez, Danny Minnehan, Ty Murchison, Ean Somoza, Diego Torres and Thomas Voxman and coach Ken Murchison – will be one of more than 300 teams from the U.S. and countries such as Canada, Australia, Mexico and Hong Kong competing for titles in several youth and adult categories at this international tournament.

Hosted by the Anaheim Ducks organization and The Rinks Program, this is the fourth consecutive year Orange County has been the center of the inline hockey world for the summer.

Jacob and some of these children had played together before. Some were rivals, having opposed each other at big games locally. And for that, the defenseman drew another concept from his favorite movie.

"I like how coach (Herb) Brooks was able to get Team USA to come together. No matter what, even though a lot of those guys were rivals, they were able to come together and play to win."

And win is what Team USA West 10u did. In front of packed stands of cheering family and friends, these kids began round-robin play in the tournament with a 16-0 victory over the Capitals Hockey Club from Colombia and never looked back.

Entering the medal round undefeated and seeded second, Team USA West faced its toughest challenge for the gold against Team USA Northwest.

Leading 6-2 with three minutes remaining, Jacob could sense the impending victory. A late-period goal by Team USA Northwest to make it 6-3 wasn't going to be enough to change the outcome, and the celebration began.

"Representing my country was just amazing," Jacob said. "I'll always remember the gold medal and playing with these guys. It was a lot of fun."

Maybe for just a moment, with that gold medal hanging around his neck, Jacob was able to feel that same sense of national pride felt by the Boys of Winter that day in Lake Placid, N.Y.

It wasn't another "miracle on ice," but it was a miracle moment for Jacob and his teammates just the same.

As he waits for the start of the game, Jacob Posner, 11, right, watches the end of another inline hockey game with his teammates. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jacob Posner, 11, who plays defenseman on a Junior Olympic inline hockey team. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jacob Posner, 11, of Aliso Viejo and his father, Marc, share a moment before the start of a Junior Olympic inline hockey game. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Trying to stay loose, Jacob Posner, 11, shares a laugh with his father Marc Posner before the start of his Junior Olympic inline hockey game in Huntington Beach. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jacob Posner, 11, of Aliso Viejo heads out of the locker room to join up with his teammates before the start of a Junior Olympic inline hockey game. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jacob Posner, 11, puts on his jersey in the locker room as he gets ready for a Junior Olympic inline hockey game in Huntington Beach. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A teammate jokes around with Jacob Posner, 11, right, as they wait for the start of their Junior Olympic inline hockey game in Huntington Beach. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jacob Posner, 11, center, waits with his teammates to go into the rink for their Junior Olympic inline hockey game in Huntington Beach. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jacob Posner of Aliso Viejo takes control of the puck during a Junior Olympic inline hockey game. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jacob Posner, 11, moves the puck out of his team's territory during a Junior Olympic inline hockey game. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jacob Posner, 11, gets ready to pass the puck to a teammate during a Junior Olympic inline hockey game. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Jacob Posner, 11, listens along with his teammates to some pre-game instructions from his coach. PAUL RODRIGUEZ, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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